Parents often ask us when to begin brushing teeth and bringing young children in to the office. We like parents to bring kids in around 2 years old to watch you have your teeth cleaned. By age 3 we would like to clean their teeth and do an exam.

As soon as babies get teeth you should begin brushing them. Don't use tooth paste until they are at least 18 months. After that use as tiny an amount as you can imagine. Essentially just color a few bristles. You don't want babies swallowing fluoride. A small tube of toothpaste should last a year. Brush their teeth while your child is laying on your lap, you can't do a proper job standing. If your child gags, don¹t let that deter you. It will take a couple weeks to get your child use to this process. Once enough teeth are present that adjacent teeth are touching, you should begin flossing their teeth. Flossing is not easy for adults or children. Until kids are 10 or 11 you should do it for them. As with adults, brushing 2-3 times per day and flossing once is ideal.